Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have repelled a rain of bullets from armed hoodlums who blocked all roads in Opuje community, Owan West local government area of Edo State, to prevent the anti-narcotic operatives from accessing the forest warehouses where tons of processed psychoactive substances have been stored for distribution nationwide ahead of the upcoming Christmas and New Year season.

This incident comes barely 11 months after armed youths recruited by drug barons ambushed NDLEA officers who had stormed the community to destroy massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417 kilograms (317.4 metric tons) of cannabis sativa on Wednesday, 18th January 2023. At least three suspects: Omoruan Theophilus, 37; Aigberuan Jacob, 42; Ekeinde Anthony Zaza, 53; and Naomi Patience Ohiewere, 42, were arrested in connection with the drugs at that time.

The Opuje community is notorious for cannabis cultivation, where cartels invest huge resources, cutting down economic trees in forest reserves and cultivating cannabis on a large scale, running into hundreds of hectares. After harvest, they build warehouses inside the forest reserves and employ armed youths to protect the warehouses 24/7.

Following credible intelligence that the drug cartels had again stocked their warehouses in the forest to start the distribution of psychoactive substances to various parts of the country ahead of the yuletide season, teams of NDLEA officers were mobilized to enter the Edo forests and block the distribution of the illicit drug by destroying their warehouses. Some of the warehouses containing about 6,000kgs of cannabis were first taken down in Ujiogba forest in Esan West LGA last weekend.

The NDLEA teams, however, came under gunfire attack in the early hours of Monday, 4th December, when they approached the Opuje forest after the armed hoodlums had blocked all access roads in the community. The NDLEA operatives were able to exit the area after over two hours of a gunfight with the armed hoodlums.

Unfortunately, three of the officers were injured in the attack, with one of them shot in the head, while some of the vehicles used for the operation were riddled with bullets. The affected officers were rushed to the hospital for treatment, and the critically injured one had a major surgery on Wednesday, 6th December, to remove the bullets from his brain.

In his reaction to the attack, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), warned that those sponsoring attacks on the operatives would know no rest until they are all brought before the law to face the consequences of their actions, and their criminal trade terminated.

While commending the professional conduct of the officers involved in the operation, Marwa said the incident would not, in any way, deter the Agency from continuing its ongoing offensive action against drug barons and cartels who are merchants of death, bent on destroying the lives of innocent citizens, especially the youth, for their own comfort across the nook and cranny of the country.